I decided to start investing in some decent equipment a few months back. I had already decided on a new pair of SR60s after staring at reviews for years and I wanted to get a quality source signal to feed them. After checking these forums for a while I jumped on the SFLO2 pre-order back in mid-October. I added the $40 upgrade bundle that included a set of leather cases for my SFLO2 and a pair of Brainwavz M2s. I knew it would be a while before I got my SFLO2 (they noted supplier delays in their forums) so I picked up a Clip+ at Best Buy for $50 and threw in a 16GB card for added space.

I've been listening to these Grados for 2 months now. Started with the line-out from a $20 discman fed through my stereo system amp with surprisingly good results, moved to the Clip+. I feel like I've outgrown them. Excuse my poor choice in language, but I'm not clear on all of the terminology - They're too warm for me, I think I'm interested in a more analytical sound. I need more definition in my highs and my bass (They seem to lose a lot of percussion). I am, however, very happy with the Clip+. I've compared it side-by-side with my friend's CD player on his stereo system and the difference in quality was very difficult to find.

My problem is that I've been waiting for my SFLO2/M2 combo for close to 2 months and I am starting to wonder if the $200 I spent on the combo is really going to get me the experience I'm looking for. I feel like the SFLO2 will be the last source I have to purchase for a long time (years I'm guessing) and the $160 seems like a bargain, but if I took the whole $200 and invested in a nicer pair of headphones then my Clip+ might still do the trick for me. I only consider this because they haven't yet shipped my order and I can still cancel for a full refund.

* I'm currently on pre-order for the M2, wouldn't mind the M3/FiioE5 combo offered right now, am very interested in the RE0 and DBA02

* Haven't done any research in better full-size headphones, but am wondering if that's where I'll get the largest jump in quality for my budget

* I'm really excited about this as a hobby, so i'm attracted to the novelty of shiny things (like the SFLO2, portable amps, having a bunch of components to play with)

I'm not sure if there's anything conclusive here, but I was hoping I could get comments/experiences in buying new equipment when you have a limited stock at home and might not make a purchase for a while. I'm worried that my SR60s won't be able to tell the difference between the SFLO2 and my Clip+, and I'm worried that I want a jump in sound quality that the M2s won't be able to provide when they get here, and if that's the case then I'll feel like I blew $200 that I could have used on nicer headphones.